Burnie Sutter from Frisco, Texas, turned 100 on April 7, 2021. Because it’s a fantastic milestone, Burnie’s daughter Sandra wanted to surprise him. She shared a post on Facebook, asking everyone to send him a birthday card.
According to Sandra, Mr. Sutter “had just been moved to a new care facility, and he was feeling a little out of sorts.”
Incredibly, the people of Frisco didn’t only send cards. Frisco citizens gathered to organize a parade drive-by, and the major came too. The brave senior and a D-Day survivor was all smiles on his big day. Please take a look at his happiness and pride. In this case, the video’s worth a million words.
Sutter was among the 90th Infantry Divison’s first fighters to enter Czechoslovakia to push the ending of World War II.
In 1944, Burnie landed on the beaches of Normandy as a heavy weapons machine gunner. The incredible Mister Sutter is one of few American D-Day veterans still alive today.
Posted by Sandra Sutter Richards on Monday, March 15, 2021
Burnie is currently in Saddle Brook Memory Care center, where he’s being treated for Alzheimer’s disease. Burnie’s daughter told people via Facebook that her dad’s been in isolation for quite a while. She also explained that Burnie’s been asking about his birthday party. We all love a good party, whether we’re a decade or a century old.
Kimberly met me at Dad’s this afternoon for a window visit. It was obvious he was excited to see someone besides me there!🥰💙😘
Posted by Sandra Sutter Richards on Sunday, July 26, 2020
Because everyone wanted to make Burnie happy, the community agreed to organize a parade and go to Saddle Brook center.
Families of WWII Veterans helped with the organization by funding a flyover for the car parade.
FOWWIIV, better known as Families of WWII Veterans, is a worldwide non-profit organization based in Frisco. The organization’s primary purpose is to make sure that US citizens never forget the lessons of World War II.
More importantly, FOWWIIV wants people to know about the sacrifices of soldiers during WWII. A Piper PA-25 Pawnee came from Midlothian, with a banner that said “Happy 100th Burnie – WWII Hero.” The heartwarming gesture overjoyed the Sutter family.
“He’s amazingly in the moment,” Sandra stated, adding:
“I’m just amazed he’s just — I can tell he knows that it’s for him. That just makes my heart feel good.”
Sandra is Burnie’s only child, and she shared the excitement with the local news. Her father used to tell numerous stories from the war, but Sandra didn’t know that so many people share those same memories.
Posted by Sandra Sutter Richards on Sunday, December 8, 2019
John Q. Miller, a veteran who served in operation Desert Storm, said that his family had planned the coming to the party a month in advance. Miller and other Frisco Veterans of Foreign Wars group members were determined to make Sutter’s big day as memorable as possible.
State representative, Jared Patterson, declared April 7, 2021, “Burnie Sutter day.” In the end, Burnie got over 400 birthday cards.
People from across the globe sent their best wishes to Burnie. Sandra told The Dallas Morning News:
“It’ll take us a year to get through them all because he reads every card meticulously.”
The parade attracted dozens of families from across North Texas. Many decked out their cars in American flags and “Happy birthday” signs. Burnie smiled throughout the parade, and his family was by his side.
We think that no one can fully understand just how much the event has meant to this hero. The best part about the show was that so many families decided to bring their kids along. A birthday celebration must be the most entertaining way to learn history.
Take care, Burnie. We are proud of you.
To see Burnie’s reaction and pick up some good vibes, click on the video below. It’s a true mood booster!
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